1. Pop up stores build urgency.

By having a limited lifespan, pop up stores motivate people to act fast. Otherwise, they could miss out.  

Nike's LeBron Zoom IV NYC Pop Up.

Nike launched a pop up store in Soho to promote its LeBron Zoom IV NYC basketball sneakers. The shoes were only available at the store, which was open for a mere four days. With that small a window, sneaker aficionados didn’t sit on their hands.  

2. Pop up stores turn unused spaces into vibrant places.

The economy has left many retail spaces empty. Shoppers see signs of failure and deadness - stripped spaces, empty shop windows. Then, suddenly there is sound, color, and energy. 

The Doodle Bar, a London-based pop up bar, lets customers draw on its walls, furniture, even its bartenders. The interior of the bar and café is a constantly evolving, community art project. Initially slated for the summer only, the bar’s success has led to an extended stay. The owners have taken an abandoned space and turned it into a creative space that hosts drawing contests and yoga classes.   

3. Pop up stores focus entirely on the customer experience.

Popping up cuts down on the financial commitments of store ownership, like long-term leases and ongoing payroll. Brands can offer customers an experience that’s more extravagant.

 At Alcoholic Architecture, another London-based pop up bar, patrons don’t drink their gin and tonics - they breathe them in. Upon entering the space, visitors are fitted with protective plastic suits and led into a room where a humidifier vaporizes drinks, creating a walk-in cocktail cloud. 

Alcoholic Architecture

Pumping drinks into the air probably isn’t the most cost effective way to run a bar, but Alcoholic Architecture was only open for a few days. As a result, the curators of the event-meets-space, jelly makers Bompas and Parr, were able to focus on a buzz-worthy experience without getting too hung up on their bottom line.

4. Pop up spaces offer a firsthand experience of a brand.

Customers experience retail brands inside the store. For companies whose products don’t headline a traditional retail space, pop ups allow them to bring customers inside their brand.

vitaminwater promoted new flavors with a Manhattan-based pop up store. In the store, customers could try free samples of the fresh flavors, check their email, play foosball, and hang out in a lounge that hosted a revolving cast of DJs. The store connected customers with vitaminwater’s brand more than they ever could have in the grocery aisle.  

5. Pop up spaces show off exciting, unseen products.

Often, brands use pop ups to gauge customer interest on a small scale. For visitors, the space gives them the opportunity to see what’s new and be the first to try it out. After all, who doesn’t want to see things first?  

In 2004, French fashion brand Comme des Garcons opened a pop up store in Tokyo. The company teamed with Apple to create a Comme des Garcons branded iPod, which was only available at the location.  According to allbusiness.com, the six-month run of the specialty iPod was expected to generate $1.1 million in sales.

Photo from Bompas & Parr

Alcoholic Architecture was a London-based pop up bar that gave patrons the option of drinking a cocktail or breathing one in. The bar used a heavy-duty humidifier to vaporize gin and tonic. The result was a walk-in cocktail cloud.

Patrons lucky enough to score reservations for the four-day affair were escorted from the street into a bar decorated with giant limes and straws. The interior was designed to look as if they’d just dived into a gin and tonic.

Upstairs, they grabbed a drink and were fitted with plastic suits to protect their clothes from the boozy vapors.

Downstairs, in the basement, they pass through a plastic flap door into a room transformed into the cocktail cloud. The small misty room fit about 25 people and guests were led out after 40 minutes. The limited time period helped ensure that guests would actually remember the unique experience.

The pop up was created by Bompas and Parr, a company that creates jellies and curates innovative culinary events.  

The company was also responsible for Scratch n Sniff Cinema, where a Valentine’s Day film screening was paired with a scratch and sniff card. The card featured aromas like rotting meat and old books that corresponded with scenes in the film.

Thanks to Anthony DeBono for pointing us to this story.